The Public Prosecutor's Office claims that the investigation is open in order to identify other perpetrators involved in the murder

Tegucigalpa, June 17 (RHC)-- The Sentencing Court with National Jurisdiction determined that the reading oThe Supreme Court of Honduras postponed for the fourth time the reading of sentence against Roberto David Castillo, co-author of the murder of environmental leader Berta Cáceres, according to a statement from the Public Prosecutor's Office of Honduras.

"On four occasions the notification has been delayed in this emblematic case, whose abstract penalty would range from 20 to 25 years of imprisonment," said the Public Prosecutor's Office.

The Sentencing Court with National Jurisdiction determined that the reading will no longer be on Friday, June 17, but next Monday, June 20th.

Ex-military officer Roberto David Castillo was found guilty in July 2021 of the murder of Berta Cáceres on March 2, 2016, following the analysis of messages sent to others guilty of the crime.   During the trial, evidence was uncovered that Castillo planned the leader's death as part of a strategy to annihilate any opposition to DESA's works.

The Public Prosecutor's Office stated that this case "is still open" and is trying to "identify other intellectual authors involved in the murder of the human rights activist."

At the time of the crime, Castillo was executive president of the company Desarrollo Energéticos S. A. (DESA), in charge of the Agua Zarca hydroelectric dam.

The environmental leader opposed the construction of this dam on the Gualcarque river because of the damage it could cause to the Lenca ethnic group of the area and to the environment, which was the development space of this community.